diff --git a/js/ui/components/telepathyClient.js b/js/ui/components/telepathyClient.js
index 42317065e..26e19edf2 100644
--- a/js/ui/components/telepathyClient.js
+++ b/js/ui/components/telepathyClient.js
@@ -527,33 +527,32 @@ const ChatSource = new Lang.Class({
     },
 
     createSecondaryIcon: function() {
-        let iconBox = new St.Bin();
-        iconBox.child = new St.Icon({ style_class: 'secondary-icon' });
+        let iconName;
         let presenceType = this._contact.get_presence_type();
 
         switch (presenceType) {
             case Tp.ConnectionPresenceType.AVAILABLE:
-                iconBox.child.icon_name = 'user-available';
+                iconName = 'user-available';
                 break;
             case Tp.ConnectionPresenceType.BUSY:
-                iconBox.child.icon_name = 'user-busy';
+                iconName = 'user-busy';
                 break;
             case Tp.ConnectionPresenceType.OFFLINE:
-                iconBox.child.icon_name = 'user-offline';
+                iconName = 'user-offline';
                 break;
             case Tp.ConnectionPresenceType.HIDDEN:
-                iconBox.child.icon_name = 'user-invisible';
+                iconName = 'user-invisible';
                 break;
             case Tp.ConnectionPresenceType.AWAY:
-                iconBox.child.icon_name = 'user-away';
+                iconName = 'user-away';
                 break;
             case Tp.ConnectionPresenceType.EXTENDED_AWAY:
-                iconBox.child.icon_name = 'user-idle';
+                iconName = 'user-idle';
                 break;
             default:
-                iconBox.child.icon_name = 'user-offline';
+                iconName = 'user-offline';
        }
-       return iconBox;
+       return new Gio.ThemedIcon({ name: iconName });
     },
 
     _updateAvatarIcon: function() {
@@ -733,7 +732,7 @@ const ChatSource = new Lang.Class({
 
         title = GLib.markup_escape_text(this.title, -1);
 
-        this._notification.update(this._notification.title, null, { customContent: true, secondaryIcon: this.createSecondaryIcon() });
+        this._notification.update(this._notification.title, null, { customContent: true, secondaryGIcon: this.createSecondaryIcon() });
 
         if (message)
             msg += ' <i>(' + GLib.markup_escape_text(message, -1) + ')</i>';
@@ -761,7 +760,7 @@ const ChatNotification = new Lang.Class({
     Extends: MessageTray.Notification,
 
     _init: function(source) {
-        this.parent(source, source.title, null, { customContent: true, secondaryIcon: source.createSecondaryIcon() });
+        this.parent(source, source.title, null, { customContent: true, secondaryGIcon: source.createSecondaryIcon() });
         this.setResident(true);
 
         this._responseEntry = new St.Entry({ style_class: 'chat-response',
diff --git a/js/ui/messageTray.js b/js/ui/messageTray.js
index 40d5ee062..c41b492f9 100644
--- a/js/ui/messageTray.js
+++ b/js/ui/messageTray.js
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ const LONGER_SUMMARY_TIMEOUT = 4;
 const HIDE_TIMEOUT = 0.2;
 const LONGER_HIDE_TIMEOUT = 0.6;
 
-const NOTIFICATION_ICON_SIZE = 24;
-
 // We delay hiding of the tray if the mouse is within MOUSE_LEFT_ACTOR_THRESHOLD
 // range from the point where it left the tray.
 const MOUSE_LEFT_ACTOR_THRESHOLD = 20;
@@ -291,9 +289,12 @@ function makeCloseButton() {
 // If @params contains a 'body' parameter, then that text will be added to
 // the content area (as with addBody()).
 //
-// By default, the icon shown is created by calling
-// source.createIcon(). However, if @params contains an 'icon'
-// parameter, the passed in icon will be used.
+// By default, the icon shown is the same as the source's.
+// However, if @params contains a 'gicon' parameter, the passed in gicon
+// will be used.
+//
+// You can add a secondary icon to the banner with 'secondaryGIcon'. There
+// is no fallback for this icon.
 //
 // If @params contains a 'titleMarkup', 'bannerMarkup', or
 // 'bodyMarkup' parameter with the value %true, then the corresponding
@@ -308,6 +309,8 @@ function makeCloseButton() {
 const Notification = new Lang.Class({
     Name: 'Notification',
 
+    ICON_SIZE: 24,
+
     IMAGE_SIZE: 125,
 
     _init: function(source, title, banner, params) {
@@ -391,8 +394,8 @@ const Notification = new Lang.Class({
     update: function(title, banner, params) {
         params = Params.parse(params, { customContent: false,
                                         body: null,
-                                        icon: null,
-                                        secondaryIcon: null,
+                                        gicon: null,
+                                        secondaryGIcon: null,
                                         titleMarkup: false,
                                         bannerMarkup: false,
                                         bodyMarkup: false,
@@ -402,12 +405,12 @@ const Notification = new Lang.Class({
 
         let oldFocus = global.stage.key_focus;
 
-        if (this._icon && (params.icon || params.clear)) {
+        if (this._icon && (params.gicon || params.clear)) {
             this._icon.destroy();
             this._icon = null;
         }
 
-        if (this._secondaryIcon && (params.secondaryIcon || params.clear)) {
+        if (this._secondaryIcon && (params.secondaryGIcon || params.clear)) {
             this._secondaryIcon.destroy();
             this._secondaryIcon = null;
         }
@@ -437,8 +440,14 @@ const Notification = new Lang.Class({
         if (!this._scrollArea && !this._actionArea && !this._imageBin)
             this._table.remove_style_class_name('multi-line-notification');
 
-        if (!this._icon) {
-            this._icon = params.icon || this.source.createIcon(NOTIFICATION_ICON_SIZE);
+        if (params.gicon) {
+            this._icon = new St.Icon({ gicon: params.gicon,
+                                       icon_size: this.ICON_SIZE });
+        } else {
+            this._icon = this.source.createIcon(this.ICON_SIZE);
+        }
+
+        if (this._icon) {
             this._table.add(this._icon, { row: 0,
                                           col: 0,
                                           x_expand: false,
@@ -447,11 +456,10 @@ const Notification = new Lang.Class({
                                           y_align: St.Align.START });
         }
 
-        if (!this._secondaryIcon) {
-            this._secondaryIcon = params.secondaryIcon;
-
-            if (this._secondaryIcon)
-                this._bannerBox.add_actor(this._secondaryIcon);
+        if (params.secondaryGIcon) {
+            this._secondaryIcon = new St.Icon({ gicon: params.secondaryGIcon,
+                                                style_class: 'secondary-icon' });
+            this._bannerBox.add_actor(this._secondaryIcon);
         }
 
         this.title = title;
diff --git a/js/ui/notificationDaemon.js b/js/ui/notificationDaemon.js
index 6d2fd6d89..ff421f6b5 100644
--- a/js/ui/notificationDaemon.js
+++ b/js/ui/notificationDaemon.js
@@ -356,12 +356,10 @@ const NotificationDaemon = new Lang.Class({
              ndata.actions, ndata.hints, ndata.notification];
 
         let gicon = this._iconForNotificationData(icon, hints);
-        let iconActor = new St.Icon({ gicon: gicon,
-                                      icon_size: MessageTray.NOTIFICATION_ICON_SIZE });
 
         if (notification == null) {
             notification = new MessageTray.Notification(source, summary, body,
-                                                        { icon: iconActor,
+                                                        { gicon: gicon,
                                                           bannerMarkup: true });
             ndata.notification = notification;
             notification.connect('destroy', Lang.bind(this,
@@ -386,7 +384,7 @@ const NotificationDaemon = new Lang.Class({
                     this._emitActionInvoked(ndata.id, actionId);
                 }));
         } else {
-            notification.update(summary, body, { icon: iconActor,
+            notification.update(summary, body, { gicon: gicon,
                                                  bannerMarkup: true,
                                                  clear: true });
         }
diff --git a/js/ui/status/network.js b/js/ui/status/network.js
index 4e4e155ce..ce46e5a59 100644
--- a/js/ui/status/network.js
+++ b/js/ui/status/network.js
@@ -1747,10 +1747,9 @@ const NMApplet = new Lang.Class({
            or this._source will be cleared */
         this._ensureSource();
 
-        let icon = new St.Icon({ icon_name: iconName,
-                                 icon_size: MessageTray.NOTIFICATION_ICON_SIZE });
+        let gicon = new Gio.ThemedIcon({ name: iconName });
         device._notification = new MessageTray.Notification(this._source, title, text,
-                                                            { icon: icon });
+                                                            { gicon: gicon });
         device._notification.setUrgency(urgency);
         device._notification.setTransient(true);
         device._notification.connect('destroy', function() {